ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb: The Ultimate Pre-Lambing Boost

ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb: The Ultimate Pre-Lambing Boost

Producing as many high quality finished lambs – as early in the season as possible – is the fundamental flock management objective for Co Donegal sheep producer Stewart Thompson.

“And that means giving newborn lambs the best possible start,” added the Ballybofey-based farmer, who is seeking to expand both his commercial and pedigree sheep interests.

“The main enterprise on the farm is a commercial flock of 75 Texel cross ewes. I also run a flock of 15 pedigree Charollais sheep. A herd of 10 spring calving suckler cows completes the current enterprise mix on the farm.”

Stewart added:

“There is scope to expand the business. And, in this regard, I intend to increase the size of both the pedigree and commercial sheep flocks.”

Years of experience have taught Stewart that the only way to give lambs the best possible start is to ensure that their mothers are managed effectively prior to lambing.

“The commercial flock will start lambing at the beginning of March. They were scanned at the beginning of the year with ewes carrying singles, twins and triplets identified accordingly,” he further explained.

“The ewes were housed directly after scanning. Those carrying singles will receive ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb and silage right through to lambing while those carrying twins and triplets are currently receiving half a kilo of meal per head per day in addition to ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb.

“This year’s scanning percentage worked out at 1.92 pregnancies per ewe. The challenge now is to ensure that as much of this potential as possible is translated into finished lambs later in the year.”

Issue

Ensuring that ewes receive the required levels of vitamins, minerals and trace elements in the run up to lambing is a key objective for Stewart.

“In the past we have had the odd case of White Muscle disease with newborn lambs,” he confirmed.

“But that is only part of the reason why the flock will have access to a proven source of additional minerals in the run up to lambing. By taking this approach it ensures that lambs are born with lots of vigour, colostrum quality is excellent and the ewes have plenty of milk.

“I have also found that lambs are born with less stress: they just slip out of the ewe.

Solution:

Traditionally, Stewart has made available ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb buckets, from Nutribio, in order to give his pre-lambing flock their required nutritional boost. Stewart purchases ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb from his local Connacht Gold store in Killygordan.

“In 2012, however, I tried a different approach and wasn’t happy with the results achieved,” he stressed.

“Needless to say, I have reverted to the ImmuBoost buckets this year.”

Earlier this week Nutribio’s Kevin Conroy and Alltech’s Colm Duffy called in with Stewart Thompson to find out how plans for this year’s lambing season are progressing.

“ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb is part of our tried and trusted ImmuBoost Range from Nutribio,” Kevin explained.

“This product is a complementary molassed feed block designed to boost both the animal’s immune system and health status, leading to increased profitability for the flock owner.

“ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb contains high levels of vitamins and minerals including, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Cobalt, Iodine, Manganese, Zinc, Selenium, Vitamins A,D3, E plus the various B vitamins. The block also contains a highly digestible form of protein in addition to a key ingredient known as Bio-MosTM , a prebiotic which has been scientifically proven to boost the animals’ immune system.”

Colm Duffy explained that the trace element make-up of ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb has been designed to ensure their maximum level of uptake by pregnant ewes and their unborn lambs.

“This is fundamentally important in determining the health and wellbeing of both ewes and their newborn lambs,” he added.

Significantly, ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb can eliminate the requirement for concentrates, depending on the quality of silage and number of births. Weather conditions permitting, Stewart Thompson puts ewes and their newborn lambs out to grass within hours of lambing.

“I will also put the ImmuBoost Ewe and Lamb buckets out with the sheep,” he concluded.

“This gives me the reassurance that the ewes and lambs are receiving all of the nutrients they require in the days following turnout.”